Help For 'Tubies' In Jefferson City, Mo.

Danielle Peterson lives in Jefferson City, Mo., and has a chronic illness that requires her to be tube fed.

Courtesy of Danielle Peterson

This month we are collecting your stories about the good things Americans are doing to make their community a better place. Some of your contributions will become blog posts and the project will end with a story that weaves together submissions to make a story of Americans by Americans for Americans.

I have a little-known digestive tract paralysis (DTP) known as gastroparesis. I won't bore you with what gastroparesis is — you can Google it if you want — but mine is so severe I require a feeding tube that bypasses my non-functioning stomach. In my small town, very few people have feeding tubes.

That is why I want to thank the people who created the Feeding Tube Awareness Foundation. It features information for everyone. They also have a Facebook page, where people can post questions and get real time answers from more experienced "tubies," as we call them in the community.